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Cretaceous
CretaceousMontana.jpg T-rex_on_rock.jpg Aff.png Wwd.jpg "A remarkable period in Earth's history known as the Cretaceous. It is a very different world." The Cretaceous time period was a time period in Earth's history and the third and final time period of the Mesozoic Era. It was preceded by the Jurassic and followed by the Paleocene Epoch. It began 145-65 Million Years Ago, lasting about 80 million years. This period is notable as its end marked the end of the reign of the dinosaurs. During the Cretaceous, reptiles were by far the dominant group, with them ruling the land, sea and skies. Facts Throughout the entire 80 million years of the Cretaceous, dinosaurs were now more widespread than ever, reaching every part of the globe. The Early Cretaceous Period Argentinosaurus 002.jpg|Argentinosaurus 1.jpg|Eosipterus 1000px-CBD102Giganotosaurus19.jpg|Giganotosaurus 1000px-WWD104EuropeanIguanodon64.jpg|Iguanodon (European) 1000px-WWD104NorthAmericanIguanodon8.jpg|Iguanodon (North American) 1000px-MacrogryphosaurusPromo.jpg|Iguanodon (South American) Incisivosaurus.jpg|Incisivosaurus Mei.jpg|Mei long Microraptorpp.jpg|Mircoraptor 185792c008a0db12ae02c010 L.jpg|Ornithocheirus Polacanthus.png|Polacanthus 1000px-CBD1x2 PteranodonOnRockyCliff.jpg|Pteranodon 1000px-CBD1x2 Sarcosuchus 18.jpg|Sarcosuchus Tapejara.jpg|Tapejara Ththt.jpg|Titanosaurus 1000px-WWD104EuropeanIguanodon65.jpg|Utahraptor Known for being a remarkable period in Earth’s history, it was a very different world. The Himalayas had not yet existed and the Atlantic was only half as wide as it is today. There was no grass, only conifer forests and fern prairies. And the movement of the continents was not only breaking up the giant northern and southern land masses, but it continued to push up sea levels. This had opened new sea ways and coast lines. In most parts of the world, where once there was solid land, now there were ragged cliffs. Which often buzzed with Pterosaurs. This is the list of animals during the Early Cretaceous Period: Dinosaurs *Argentinosaurus *Giganotosaurus *Iguanodon *Incisivosaurus *Mei long *Microraptor *Polacanthus *Titanosaurus *Utahraptor Pterosaurs *Eosipterus *Ornithocheirus *Pteranodon *Tapejara Reptiles *Sarcosuchus The Middle Cretaceous Period 1000px-WWD105PolarAllosaur59.jpg|Australovenator Untitled4.png|Koolasuchus Leaellynasaurus.png|Leaellynasauru ImagesCAO38UG8.jpg|Muttaburrasaurus But during the Mid-Cretaceous Period, one place was a special challenge for dinosaurs: The South Pole. There, a giant continent made up of South America, Australia, and Antarctica was kept warm by ocean currents that were forced down from the equator to encircle it. Instead of Icecaps, there were lush forests. But unlike the unchanging tropical climates elsewhere, Antarctica had seasons, from hot summers under midnight sun to cold winters of total darkness. This is the list of animals during the Middle Cretaceous Period: Dinosaurs *Australovenator *Leaellynasaura *Muttaburrasaurus Amphibians *Koolasuchus The Late Cretaceous Period 1000px-Albertosaurus.jpg|Albertosaurus 1000px-WWD1x6 Ankylosaurus.jpg|Ankylosaurus ImagesCA1A8UZJ.jpg|Archelon Croc.jpg|Deinosuchus Didelpho.jpg|Didelphodon Dinilysia p1.jpg|Dinilysia ImagesCAF77EBB.jpg|Dromaeosaurus ImagesCAST7QWF.jpg|Edmontosaurus 1000px-Elasmosaurus.jpg|Elasmosaurus ImagesCAV1EFUF.jpg|Hesperornis ImagesCA4I78R6.jpg|Mononykus Untitled9.png|Mosasaur ImagesCANHYPC9.jpg|Nyctosaurus 1000px-1x1 Ornithomimus.jpg|Ornithomimus ImagesCA6EOWW7.jpg|Parasaurolophus Parksosaurus.jpg|Parksosaurus ImagesCAYOPPHN.jpg|Protoceratops Pteranodon.jpg|Pteranodon 1000px-Quetzalcoatlus.jpg|Quetzalcoatlus Saurolophus.jpg|Saurolophus 1000px-SM1x3 Squalicorax.jpg|Squalicorax TGC NigelHidesFromTarbosaurus.jpg|Tarbosaurus ImagesCACLKLYN.jpg|Therizinosaurus Torosaurus.JPG|Torosaurus 1000px-1x1 Triceratops.jpg|Triceratops ImagesCAK5N0LY.jpg|Troodon trex8 (2).jpg|Tyrannosaurus Velociraptor.png|Velociraptor 1000px-Xiphactinus.jpg|Xiphactinus But during the Late Cretaceous, since this was a world before grass, volcanoes dominated the landscapes. Near the end of the Cretaceous period…the continents had already taken on their modern forms. But the ceaseless movement of the Earth’s crust…had also produced a surge in volcanic activity across the globe. Massive eruptions that have lasted for centuries…had laid waste to landscapes…and filled the air with poisonous gasses and debris. This desolate world was still ruled by dinosaurs, as it had been for 160 million years, but they were nearing the end of their rain. Life on Earth was choking to death. This list of animals during the Late Cretaceous Period: Dinosaurs *Albertosaurus *Ankylosaurus *Dromaeosaurus *Edmontosaurus *Mononykus *Ornithomimus *Parasaurolophus *Parksosaurus *Protoceratops *Saurolophus *Tarbosaurus *Therizinosaurus *Torosaurus *Triceratops *Troodon *Tyrannosaurus Rex *Velociraptor Fish *Squalicorax *Xiphactinus Mammals *Didelphodon *Hesperornis Pterosaurs *Nyctosaurus *Pteranodon *Quetzalcoatlus Reptiles *Deinosuchus *Dinilysia Sea Reptiles *Archelon *Elasmosaurus *Mosasaurus Category:Prehistoric Time Periods Category:Mesozoic